CJP orders PTI MPA Imran Ali Shah to donate Rs3m in dam fund

KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday directed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member of provincial assembly (MPA) Imran Ali Shah to submit Rs3 million to the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund within 15 days as a fine for physically assaulting a citizen in Karachi last month.

MPA Shah appeared before the Supreme Court (SC) Karachi registry on Saturday in connection with a suo moto notice against him over the physical assault of a citizen, Dawood Chohan.

During the hearing, the CJP questioned Shah, “What were you thinking when you thrashed the citizen? No one even beats up animals like this.”

Justice Nisar continued, “Why did you assault the citizen? You are a representative of the people and is this how you will behave?” “This is an unacceptable crime and we won’t let it go,” he asserted.

The chief justice then told the PTI MPA, “Beat me up and show me, I’ll step outside the court.”

After Shah apologised and said that he was ’embarrassed’, CJP said “what sorry?” and related a story of when he beat up the house help as a child and his father punished him by beating him with a belt to teach him a lesson.

“There is no compensation for insults,” he stressed.

Furthermore, Justice Nisar asked Dawood Chohan as to why he had “forgiven” the MPA. “The then nominated Sindh governor visited my house,” Chohan responded. Chohan further told the court that the PTI MPA had slapped him three to four times.

Justice Nisar then directed that the video clip of the PTI MPA thrashing Chohan publicly be played in the court.

As the hearing resumed after a short break, the CJP chided Shah saying that he [Shah] should be ashamed of himself for beating Chohan.

“Look at his age,” Justice Nisar retorted, warning that the court could convict Shah under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, him being a lawmaker.

Upon the judge’s instruction, Shah then publicly apologised to Chohan and also hugged him.

Meanwhile, Chohan informed the court that he was accused of receiving money in exchange for settling the matter, while his son alleged that members of PTI’s social media team had run a campaign against his family. Chohan’s son maintained that Shah should not remain a public representative, at the very least.

At this, the CJP said that he wanted to set an example through this incident, adding, “I want to teach such people a lesson.”

Chohan then said he was forgiving Shah in the name of God, but that the PTI leader should be barred from travelling in a large SUV so that he can travel like a common man.

Shah said he would comply with this demand if the CJP so orders.

However, the CJP concluded the matter by ordering the MPA to deposit Rs 3 million into the dams fund.

On August 25, PTI Karachi’s Disciplinary Committee in its verdict on MPA Imran Shah’s assault of a citizen of the metropolitan city directed him to donate Rs500,000 as a ‘fine’ to the Edhi Homes Orphanage Centres besides, providing free medical treatment to 20 orthopedic patients recommended by Edhi Trust.

Following the inquiry into the incident that occurred on August 14 near Karachi’s Stadium Road, the committee had also warned Shah that any further misconduct on his part will result in his immediate expulsion from the party.

PTI MPA COMES UNDER FIRE FOR PHYSICAL ASSAULT:

Imran Shah drew strong backlash on the social media after a video of him brutally thrashing a citizen went viral on popular websites like Facebook and Twitter. A lot of people online demanded suspension of membership of the party leader while some called upon the party to withdraw him as a legislator from the provincial legislature.

The MPA was filmed slapping the man, identified as Dawood Chohan, multiple times during a street altercation with his security guards around.

Shortly after the incident, the MPA had issued a video claiming that the man, whom he had beaten up, was misbehaving with another poor man on the street. “I got off my car and asked him what’s wrong, but he also hurled abuses on me and I just defended myself,” he had said.

But later he maintained silence on his first version and in a damage control, tendered an apology to the citizen. Some other party leaders had reportedly taken Shah to Dawood’s residence to settle the issue.